Once again you guys have overwhelmed me with your kind words – so thank you for them and for sticking with me.
Next chapter is up and I'm getting a head of steam up so the one after won't be too long in posting either – though I am trying to ensure I post once a week.
Enjoy and please let me know what you think! (That's a hint to all of you who've put this story on alert! ;o) )
xxx
"I think we need to go down and help show the Atlanta boys exactly how good Beautiful really is." Lester said quarter of an hour later when the core team, plus Hector, met up in Ranger's office to discuss the situation Steph had described to Ranger.
Bobby nodded his head in agreement and Lester tilted his face slightly, waiting for Ranger's reply.
"If we do that she'll lose any credibility she has and we all know that Connor has made it very obvious to her what he thinks of her being there." Tank argued. "He doesn't seem to have any real understanding of her potential, despite what Boston, Miami and the team here have told him." He added. "He sees her as the enemy and therefore us by association."
"True" Bobby said, nodding his head slightly in agreement "But Atlanta really need a kick up the ass and she's just the girl to do it."
"No, I disagree." Hector said, standing up and looking out of the window before gathering his thoughts and turning back to explain. "Here, she has Lula, her Grandmother, Mary Lou and even her Mother, plus all of us. She happily comes out fighting when she knows she has friends around her. Otherwise… not so good. She needs to know that people have her back before she'll defend what she believes in." He looked pointedly at Ranger who slammed his blank face on.
Looking one by one at the rest of the men, Hector continued "In Boston she has the whole of Ace's team, plus Rees obviously, and Vera who she considers to be in the bff category. But Atlanta? Only Chase so far. Not even the housekeepers Stuart and Carole have really shown her any kindness or warmth and Stuart's related to Cindy who adores Bomber. I think Connor has been deliberately isolating her to make her feel vulnerable."
"What do you suggest we do?" Bobby asked, suspecting that Hector had something up his sleeve.
"We host a series of events, games, if you will.
Each of the offices will be told the categories and they can submit anybody they like to take part up to a defined maximum per event. On top of that, one member from each office will be seconded to a different location for the duration of the games and be expected to take part in at least two things. Everyone will be eligible for transfer, no exclusions, so that way the field will be wide open for us to rig." He smiled as his suggestion sunk in.
"Interesting" smiled Tank. "I like where your twisted mind is going. Tell us more."
"We need to make sure that the person who ends up going to Atlanta is above reproach, tough as nails, resourceful and someone who Bomber trusts completely…."
"And who did you have in mind?" Asked Ranger carefully. Tank and Bobby both thought he was offering himself up for the vacancy.
"Falcon" Hector said with finality, crossing his arms.
"Not happening." Ranger growled out then stood up and stalked out, slamming the door shut behind him.
"Well boys, I think Operation get Ranger jealous is a definite goer. All we need now is for him to open his mouth and volunteer his sorry ass." A small, smug voice said from the cell phone Hector pulled out of the breast pocket of his thin cotton shirt.
"Too true, Rees." Hector said with a grin on his face.
"So guys. Do you think we can kill two birds with one stone?" Rees asked with a smile in his voice.
"Abso fucking lootley." Lester sputtered out, trying to hold back the laughter that threatened to engulf him.
o0o0o0o0o
Ranger opened the door onto the roof of the building and inhaled the smog-filled air deeply, hoping to calm himself.
Part of him thought Hector's idea was a really good one, but part of him thought it was too full of holes for it to work. He chuckled and shook his head at the irony of his thoughts. When had a watertight plan involving his Babe ever worked out as intended. He slid slowly down the wall and opened his cell phone to re-read his text to Steph and her reply.
Hi Steph
Proud of you, Babe. You did good in Boston and the whole team up there is singing your praises.
I know that Connor and his team are gonna be harder work but you'll win them round. You always do.
Sorry I can't be there. Julie needs me right now, but know that I told Connor to look after you. If he doesn't let me know. Please…
Remember, no price.
R x
Dear Ranger
Thank you, your support means more than you could know. Can I talk to you about something tomorrow really important, please?"
Stephanie
They'd both laid several foundation stones in the last 24 hours and even more so since they'd spoken. Perhaps if they carried on they'd start to build the bridges to go on top.
He hadn't realised how much it still hurt to have her so far away from him and he knew he needed to be there for her. First things first, he'd sort out her accommodation. When he went back down he'd speak to Zero to see whether he could somehow make Chez Alcatraz uninhabitable without affecting the rest of the building. He loved the nickname she'd given the temporary accommodation Connor had given her but when this was all over, he planned on asking her how to make the space more homely so that no-one else would be able to call it something similar in the future.
He smiled as he wondered what she'd make of his penthouse suite which was so very different from where she was currently staying. She'd love the scenery from the windows – they were one of the reasons he'd bought the building in the first place.
That decided he thought about Hector's competition idea. The more he ran the idea through his head, the more he liked it. But he would be the one to go to Atlanta. Rees would go only over his dead body - with her boyfriend nearly 1,000 miles away he reckoned he stood a better chance of winning Steph back…
A smile spread across his face as he started to plan his campaign.
o0o0o0o0o
Tank knew where Ranger would be. It was where he always went to clear his head.
It was where he went when he first got an order to ship out.
It was where he went when Stiva kidnapped Bomber and it was where he went after Scrog abducted Julie.
Opening the fire exit he stepped out onto the black top and scanned the roof to look for his best friend and business partner.
Having located him he wandered over and slunk down next to him. "You know Hector's idea might just work." He said without looking over at Ranger.
"From what you've said, Connor used to be a good guy but somewhere down the line he's lost it, Man. Steph might have found Connor's weakness but if he suspects she's gonna sneak around behind his back telling tales then he's not gonna stand around and let her. I think Hector's idea takes the emphasis away from her. Let's be honest, he might not give her a lesson on the mats - as you or I would, but mark my words, he'd get even if he thought she'd been shafting him. He might even decide that physical force of a different kind might be more appropriate…."
He let the strength of his words sink in.
"Rape? Do you really think Connor's capable of raping her, seriously?" Ranger ground out, leaping to his feet and staring down at the man who made the suggestion.
"Woah! Down Ric! I'm not saying he'd stoop that low, but he's turning into a loose cannon and you know it! I've told you several times recently that I don't trust his judgement anymore and I like his management style even less. I know he's desperate to take Atlanta for himself but he's going to destroy Rangeman's credibility if he carries on…"
"Dammit, Tank! The man saved my life. Twice. I will not cut him loose and watch him crash and burn."
"No! I don't expect you to, but I do expect you to do the right thing by him and for him. He needs help, Rangeman."
Ranger slid down the wall and joined Tank on the floor once more. He nodded in submission as the reality of Tank's words sank in. "What do you suggest?" he said, sadly.
"Let the games begin." Tank said as he patted Ranger's arm. "And may the best team win." He added with a lop sided grin.
o0o0o0o0o
Steph's cell phone beeped and she looked up from the huge stack of paperwork Connor had given her to file and grabbed it from where it sat next to the buff wallets.
Quickly reading it she pressed reply and typed in the answers to the questions raised. Then she deleted it and quietly returned to her filing, hoping that everyone was aware she was still in the room and hadn't sneaked off to create mischief.
Half an hour later an alarm rang round the building. Everyone on deck that day ran to the comms room to see what all the fuss was about.
Steph gave herself a mental high five as Connor raced up to the guys on monitor duty. "Why's the fire alarm been raised in Stephanie's apartment?" He barked out, looking at the monitors that scanned the corridor just outside her room.
"Not sure, Sir" Came the panicked reply.
"Bring up the schematics. Quickly! I need to know if the sprinklers have been deployed."
"Yessir!"
Steph stood and watched in mock horror as the sensors confirmed that they had. She groaned, hoping it sounded like she was pissed off.
"How much water?" she asked, her voice cracking. Christ! She thought. "And the winner of best actress goes to… Stephanie Plum for 'It's raining in Boston!' "
Out of the corner of her eye she saw one of the men speaking to someone on the phone. As he finished his conversation he turned to Connor "Mains water has been turned off by Stuart and he's heading down there to assess the damage."
"I'm going too." Steph choked out and headed to the elevator with Connor hot on her heels.
o0o0o0o0o
"It's all ruined! Everything!" Steph almost shrieked out. Nothing, despite knowing what was going to happen, had prepared her for the mess that met her eyes.
"Where am I going to stay tonight?" she added, softly as she waded into the water logged room and grabbing her kindle from the puddle it sat in.
Connor was standing behind her with Chase at his shoulder.
"Boss, there are no rooms free on 4, but 7 is empty." He added softly.
Connor said nothing but stared momentarily at Steph before nodding. Turning on his heels he barked out "Where the hell are Stuart and Carole? Get them to get this mess cleared up." Before storming off to the elevator.
No words were spoken but both Steph and Chase knew she'd won this round.
Stephanie 2, Atlanta 52…